Industrial Asbestos Roof Overclad with Solar PV
Garland UK Technical Manager
Daniel Sandell
Approved Contractor
Gable Projects
Garland System
Solarise
1st Year Energy Saving
£13,500
Avoided to Landfill
37 Tonnes
Payback
6 Years
At Hambridge Industrial Estate in Newbury, Greenham Common Trust needed to act quickly to secure the future of one of its key commercial units. The asbestos cement roof was over 30 years old, leaking, and no longer safe.
The client had been working with Garland UK since 2015 and trusted us to deliver a long-term solution. With tenant agreements up for renewal, a durable roof refurbishment was essential to keep valued tenants in place. At the same time, the client wanted to cut electricity costs and strengthen the building’s energy performance by investing in solar.
Challenge
The roof was fragile, leaking through old fixings and cracked asbestos sheets, and no longer offered any meaningful thermal performance. Internal insulation had masked the issues for years but was now failing, and damaged sheets risked asbestos exposure. Rooflights were deteriorated and no longer compliant. The existing build-up provided a poor U-value between 0.85 and 1.17W/m²K, far above the required 0.18W/m²K.
Adding to the challenge, the project needed careful coordination to ensure minimal disruption to tenants. For example, the inverters were designed to be mounted externally in a protective cage. The works had to resolve leaks, manage asbestos risks, improve thermal performance, and support the solar array, all without disrupting tenants.
Solution
Technical Manager Daniel Sandell specified the R-MER CLAD system to overclad the asbestos roof. This avoided a costly strip-out while encapsulating the asbestos safely and eliminating the risk of fibre release. For the client, this meant work could be carried out without the disruption of full asbestos removal, keeping tenants secure in their units.
A new vapour control layer and supporting frame were installed, followed by high-performance mineral quilt insulation to meet the 0.18W/m²K target. The new profiled metal sheets were secured with stainless steel fixings and sealed at laps to ensure a watertight finish. Gutters were refurbished with a liner system to further protect the building envelope. The outcome was a future-proofed roof that complies with Part L, reduces heating bills, and lowers carbon emissions.
Once the new roof was in place, Nimbus Solar installed a 149.52kWp Solarise PV system, rail-mounted onto the R-MER CLAD sheets. The array of 336 Solarwatt panels will generate an estimated 145,500 kWh of electricity each year, meeting around 63% of the building’s demand. The system is forecast to achieve payback in under six years, and generate an accrued cash flow of over £1.2m across 25 years.
With Solarwatt panels offering a 25 year system life, the client can be confident that the solar system will continue to perform for decades, supported by Garland UK’s roof-first approach. Both the roof and solar system are covered under a 20 year Single-Point Guarantee, ensuring no split liability and complete protection for the investment.
Outcome
The refurbishment has secured tenant confidence, delivered clear ROI, and supported the Trust’s sustainability commitments. The new roof achieved a U-value of 0.18W/m²K, cutting heating losses and ensuring regulatory compliance.
The solar system provides long-term protection against rising energy costs, with first-year savings of £13,500. The solar installation helps the Trust avoid more than 32 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, the equivalent to planting 1,280 trees every year.
Around 37 tonnes of asbestos cement were safely encapsulated and diverted from landfill, eliminating future maintenance liabilities. For the Greenham Common Trust, the building is now watertight, energy-efficient, and future-proofed for decades. With Garland UK’s combined roof and solar guarantee, both assets are fully protected, providing peace of mind, risk mitigation, and cost certainty.
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